Is there even a point to listing points for some things?

[rutgers1]

I was just flipping through the book that we receive each year from DVC with the points totals for each resort, as well as the other Disney resorts (non DVC) and the Adventures by Disney.

Here is my question........For the vast, vast majority of DVC members, is there any interest whatsoever of using points to pay for those things?

When we were getting our sales pitch from Disney, I remember the guide telling us with great excitement about all of the ways we could use our points. At no point, though, did he ever tell us that using points to pay for rooms at other Disney resorts was a very poor use of points.

I realize that no one is forcing me to use my points on anything other than DVC rooms, but if it is going to be such a poor trade/exchange, why even advertise it as something to be excited about? I would love to meet the person who flips through that book and says "I can't wait to use my points to stay at the Polynesian this year!"

 

[chalee94]

if it is going to be such a poor trade/exchange, why even advertise it as something to be excited about?

it allows the guides to say that resale buyers are excluded from certain options and not "real DVC owners" which makes a few people think they are valuable.

and if some buyers get excited and don't bother to look at those exchange point charts? more money in the guides' pockets...

 

[Sammie]

A substantial percentage of the membership does trade out of DVC.

Especially DVC members that are also Disney employees.

You just don't see many here on the DIS, but the DIS members are very small percentage of the 500,000.

As to members using their points to trade to nonDVC Disney resorts, yes they do especially the deluxe resorts. Why do you think DVC decided to do add ons at each deluxe resort.

 

[BillPA]

I was just flipping through the book that we receive each year from DVC with the points totals for each resort, as well as the other Disney resorts (non DVC) and the Adventures by Disney.

Here is my question........For the vast, vast majority of DVC members, is there any interest whatsoever of using points to pay for those things?

When we were getting our sales pitch from Disney, I remember the guide telling us with great excitement about all of the ways we could use our points. At no point, though, did he ever tell us that using points to pay for rooms at other Disney resorts was a very poor use of points.

I realize that no one is forcing me to use my points on anything other than DVC rooms, but if it is going to be such a poor trade/exchange, why even advertise it as something to be excited about? I would love to meet the person who flips through that book and says "I can't wait to use my points to stay at the Polynesian this year!"

With the announcement of the DVC at the Poly, the only deluxe resort where you can use your points at WDW will be the YC. Since we can not use them if a DVC is attached to the deluxe resort. Not much "value" in this 'over priced" option.
I wonder what the new sales pitch will be?

 

[rutgers1]

A substantial percentage of the membership does trade out of DVC.

Especially DVC members that are also Disney employees.

You just don't see many here on the DIS, but the DIS members are very small percentage of the 500,000.

As to members using their points to trade to nonDVC Disney resorts, yes they do especially the deluxe resorts. Why do you think DVC decided to do add ons at each deluxe resort.

I would bet my entire bank account that very, very few people use their points to trade into non DVC Disney resorts. In my opinion, the fact that they are building DVC's at those resorts has nothing to do with the frequency that people are trading into them and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that people (many on this board) have been clamoring for them for years.

 

[chalee94]

With the announcement of the DVC at the Poly, the only deluxe resort where you can use your points at WDW will be the YC. Since we can not use them if a DVC is attached to the deluxe resort. Not much "value" in this 'over priced" option.
I wonder what the new sales pitch will be?

"pay extra points plus a $95 fee to stay in a moderate hotel room?"

 

[disneynutz]

I was just flipping through the book that we receive each year from DVC with the points totals for each resort, as well as the other Disney resorts (non DVC) and the Adventures by Disney.

Here is my question........For the vast, vast majority of DVC members, is there any interest whatsoever of using points to pay for those things?

When we were getting our sales pitch from Disney, I remember the guide telling us with great excitement about all of the ways we could use our points. At no point, though, did he ever tell us that using points to pay for rooms at other Disney resorts was a very poor use of points.

I realize that no one is forcing me to use my points on anything other than DVC rooms, but if it is going to be such a poor trade/exchange, why even advertise it as something to be excited about? I would love to meet the person who flips through that book and says "I can't wait to use my points to stay at the Polynesian this year!"

Disney would never tell you that there is a poor use of points just like my RV dealer never told me that our RV would only get 6 miles to the gallon.

Bill

 

[k3chantal]

I would bet my entire bank account that very, very few people use their points to trade into non DVC Disney resorts. In my opinion, the fact that they are building DVC's at those resorts has nothing to do with the frequency that people are trading into them and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that people (many on this board) have been clamoring for them for years.

I have never used my points to trade into a non DVC Disney resort and I agree that at WDW, it probably doesn't happen very often but I wonder if Disneyland is a different story. With only 48 villas at the VGC, it fills up fast. Makes me wonder how many people exchange their points to stay at the Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier.

 

[Greysword]

Chantal is on target.

Yes, trading into the Disney collection at WDW is not a good use of points, but that doesn't mean the whole collection is worthless. I bet a significant percentage of members have used their points for a DCL cruise at one time. Also, members on the West coast likely have a significant percentage that trade into the DLR resorts; we've done so twice in the past five years. Finally, I bet a few have used their DVC points at the other Disneyland resorts around the world and for Adventures By Disney (ABD).

Just because WDW has the largest percentage of resorts and a the majority of the American population lives east of the Mississippi, I would caution making overall generalities regarding the whole of the DVC population. It would likely be safe to say a majority of DVC owners never use their points outside of the DVC resort system, but I would suggest not betting your whole bank account on "very very few" members using the Disney Collection, RCI, and Concierge collections combined.

 

[DebbieB]

I once used points for POFQ for 1 night because no DVC was available. This was before the $95 fee. Used points at DL 3 or 4 times.

 

[holula]

We are using points at DLR this coming September as VGC was booked at the 7 month mark. At WDW I would never consider it.

 

[DisneyHeather]

I've used points to stay at the Disneyland Hotel before because the villas were full when I wanted to do a trip I planned only a couple months ahead of time. I could have stayed a lot longer at the villas for that amount of points but it was a last minute trip and used some points I had that were going to expire.

 

[Sammie]

I would bet my entire bank account that very, very few people use their points to trade into non DVC Disney resorts. In my opinion, the fact that they are building DVC's at those resorts has nothing to do with the frequency that people are trading into them and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that people (many on this board) have been clamoring for them for years.

Guess you missed the wink emoticon.

 

[Dean]

I was just flipping through the book that we receive each year from DVC with the points totals for each resort, as well as the other Disney resorts (non DVC) and the Adventures by Disney.

Here is my question........For the vast, vast majority of DVC members, is there any interest whatsoever of using points to pay for those things?

When we were getting our sales pitch from Disney, I remember the guide telling us with great excitement about all of the ways we could use our points. At no point, though, did he ever tell us that using points to pay for rooms at other Disney resorts was a very poor use of points.

I realize that no one is forcing me to use my points on anything other than DVC rooms, but if it is going to be such a poor trade/exchange, why even advertise it as something to be excited about? I would love to meet the person who flips through that book and says "I can't wait to use my points to stay at the Polynesian this year!"

We don't know the % of members or of total points that trade overall. For RCI and BVTC it's in the 4% range per year total, no way of knowing if it's the same people consistently. We have no info on cash type exchanges. Based on my experience here, elsewhere and with timeshares in general I'd have to guess that around 10% of the total membership will trade at least once during their membership and under 1% (even with DCL) will do it consistently. Almost everything is a poor value almost all of the time. The exceptions are BVTC occasionally and RCI for a very small subset of options offered (must be high demand time and resort to be reasonable to me). NOTHING is reasonable to buy in to use for exchanges.

 

[Silver Queen]

We have no interest in using our DVC points for anything other than DVC vacations. When we purchased DVC our guide was very clear about advising us that RCI and cruises were not a good use of points. He was great to work with. On our January Fantasy cruise both couples who were seated with us for dinner indicated that they bought their DVC points primarily to cruise. We couldn't understand it. We'll always be paying for cruises with our trusty Disney Chase Visa Card..

 

[bumbershoot]

At no point, though, did he ever tell us that using points to pay for rooms at other Disney resorts was a very poor use of points.

I realize that no one is forcing me to use my points on anything other than DVC rooms, but if it is going to be such a poor trade/exchange, why even advertise it as something to be excited about?

When I was first looking into DVC I read "these things are a bad use of points". I came back here and said something like that, and different people corrected me, that if I wanted to use points like that, it was a good value for me at that time, etc.

Depends on the people you talk to.

But if you don't want to use your points at a DVC resort one year, and DO want to go somewhere else where you can use points, and don't feel like spending lots of cash to do it, then it's an excellent use of YOUR points! Someone else might feel differently than you do; thankfully you probably aren't using *their* points. It's all personal, and is based on what each owner wants to do for any given vacation.

Makes me wonder how many people exchange their points to stay at the Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier.

Our very first stay on points was either at DLH (concierge level when they let you use points for it) or GC Hotel (before they stopped allowing it, and I swear I read they allow it again, but it was before anything changed). Lots of points, but it's what we wanted at that time! The stay at the hotel was useful because it taught us we don't like staying there. The stay at the DLH was useful because it taught us that we DO like concierge.

Our points were expiring (Bay Lake purchase, and our "developers" points had an expiration date that was really short; I think those points were different than the normal "extra" points situation? regardless, they were fairly close to expiring) and we couldn't get out to WDW, so we used them for our "home" park in the place where we wanted to stay on those two trips. It was a GREAT use of points for us for those two trips!

 

[rcchello]

When I am on DCL there are always a reasonable number of people cruising on points. Many people use points for Disneyland Hotels. Disney now allows you to use points at the nonDVC part of the Grand Californian because members requested that ability.

I think the low number of people on this board admitting they use points for these things is the that some members of this board then make them feel like idiots.

People here who will admit to it then have to say - but they were going to expire anyway or some other excuse. Even then someone will have to add how its not a good use of points.

 

[Sammie]

When I am on DCL there are always a reasonable number of people cruising on points. Many people use points for Disneyland Hotels. Disney now allows you to use points at the nonDVC part of the Grand Californian because members requested that ability.

I think the low number of people on this board admitting they use points for these things is the that some members of this board then make them feel like idiots.

People here who will admit to it then have to say - but they were going to expire anyway or some other excuse. Even then someone will have to add how its not a good use of points.

You know the way I see it, they are my points, and I will use them as I see fit, so hopefully no one is letting comments on any Internet forums by strangers influence their personal choices.

What is not a good use of points to someone is no different than buying a BMW over a VW. They are both German cars and both will get you from point A to point B, but if someone wants a BMW and they can afford it then I say go for it

Internet forums can offer a wealth of information, everyone just has to sort out what works best for them personally.

For that matter DVC in general is not the least expensive way to go to Disney, not much difference in my opinion.

I have stayed in a two bedroom with 3 people and proud of it,

 

[BestDadEver]

When I am on DCL there are always a reasonable number of people cruising on points. Many people use points for Disneyland Hotels. Disney now allows you to use points at the nonDVC part of the Grand Californian because members requested that ability.

I think the low number of people on this board admitting they use points for these things is the that some members of this board then make them feel like idiots.

People here who will admit to it then have to say - but they were going to expire anyway or some other excuse. Even then someone will have to add how its not a good use of points.

This happens a lot around here when you differ from the norm . The thing people don't understand is that this forum is a very small sample size of actual DVC owners .

Many regulars here are fixated on getting every penny out of there DVCpurchase . Some people like myself find value in those options without tutting q dollar amount on it .

For me not being a Disney fan like many of you are (my son is) when my son is no longer interested in Disney I can use my points for other things exchange out . And that has value to me been if its less monetary value . I also will be using points to travel DCL . I like to have the options . If they didn't ofer these other options I would not have bought DVC .

 

[Dean]

When I am on DCL there are always a reasonable number of people cruising on points. Many people use points for Disneyland Hotels. Disney now allows you to use points at the nonDVC part of the Grand Californian because members requested that ability.

I think the low number of people on this board admitting they use points for these things is the that some members of this board then make them feel like idiots.

People here who will admit to it then have to say - but they were going to expire anyway or some other excuse. Even then someone will have to add how its not a good use of points.

You're getting a concentrated view. Not only are you on a DCL cruise asking about cruising (maybe even a members cruise), you likely have DVC paraphernalia and go to the DVC get together.

A lot of people have stated they used points for cruising, their choice of course but there are financial realities of cruising with a low pp return almost always less than $7 a point compared to early booking discounts. If you know you're only getting basically your main fees back and you're OK with that, it's your call,no one else cares. Most often when this comes up it's centered around someone looking to buy or asking about the value/experiences.